Exceptional Winners of 1839 Awards’ Photo Contest Celebrating the Power of Color Photography
“How to train your dragon” by Leo Kwok. Winner, Professional, Event, People. “Showered by molten, firework-like sparks, people in Meizhou, China perform a fire dragon dance to celebrate the Lantern Festival on the first full moon of the Lunar Calendar. This celebration was performed over 200 years ago and was listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in China in 2008.”
Named for the year that photography was first made widely available to the public, the 1839 Awards holds a series of photo contests to highlight the medium. Photographers from 55 different countries entered the Color Photography Contest, which is open to both professional and non-professional photographers. The results, which were just announced, are extraordinary.
In the end, two different conceptual series won the overall prize. For the professionals, Alexandrena Parker was named the overall winner for her images of unsupervised children playing outside, a rare sight these days. Astrid Reischwitz‘s fascinating look at her heritage, which combines photography and embroidery, won her the top prize in the non-professional competition.
There are many hidden gems among the category winners. From a playful plate of pasta to a striking look at the war in Ukraine, the competition highlights the impact that color photography can have on our view of the world.
The winner’s announcement, however, was not without controversy. In an effort to keep up with technology and its impact on the medium, the contest has a category to award the best AI imagery. What the contest organizers didn’t expect, however, was for a photographer to not only enter a regular photo into that category but to win the People’s Vote Award. Though the photographer was subsequently disqualified when he revealed that the image was not AI, the news brought a lot of eyes to the contest.
“Unsupervised” by Alexandrena Parker. Overall Professional Winner and Professional Winner, Conceptual, People, Storytelling. “The sight of children engaged in unsupervised play, left to their own devices in the streets, has become increasingly rare. Set in outback Australia, the scenes weave together the past and present, symbolizing the relationship between the landscape and the timeless essence of childhood.”
“Gitano” by Arianna Angelini. Winner, Professional, People. “I met him once, trying to find my way. The solitude of the highlands was what I sought. Unbidden, he sat beside me on a log one day As I was caught up with some restless thought.”
“Spaghetti Stylist” by Yuliy Vasilev. Winner, Professional, Still Life.
“The Price of Freedom” by Lenka Klicperová. Winner, Professional, Photojournalism. “Ukraine has been defending itself against Russian aggression for two years. Thousands of soldiers and civilians are paying a terrible price for their freedom. But they are still fighting.”
